Gourt > Kids and Teens > Sports and Hobbies > Sports > Cheerleading
Cheerleading is an activity that uses organized routines made up of elements from dance, gymnastics, and stunting to cheer on sports teams at games and matches, and/or as a competitive sport. A cheerleading performer is a cheerleader.
History
Cheerleading first started at Princeton University in the 1880s with the crowd chant, "Rah rah rah, tiger tiger tiger, sis sis sis, boom boom boom ahhhhhhh, Princeton Princeton Princeton!" as a way to encourage school spirit at football games. A few years later, Princeton graduate Thomas Peebles introduced the idea of organized crowd chanting to the University of Minnesota in 1884, but it was not until 1898 that University of Minnesota student Johnny Campbell stood in front of the crowd, and directed them in a chant, making Campbell the very first cheerleader. Soon after that, the University of Minnesota organized a "yell leader" squad of 4 male students. Although it is estimated that 90% of today's cheerleading participants are female(50% of collegiate level cheerleaders male), cheerleading started out as an all-male activity. Females started to participate in cheerleading in the 1920s, due to limited availability of female collegiate sports. By the 1940s, it was a largely female activity. Cheerleading is most closely associated with American football, and to a lesser degree basketball. Sports such as soccer, ice hockey, and wrestling, baseball rarely have cheerleaders.
In 1948, Lawrence "Herkie" Herkimer formed the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) as a way to hold cheerleading clinics. The National Cheerleaders Association held its first clinic in 1949 with 52 girls in attendance. The next year, the clinic had grown to 350 cheerleaders. By the 1950s, most American high schools had formed cheerleading squads. By the 1960s, cheerleading had grown to be a staple in American high school and collegiate sports. Organized cheerleading competitions began to crop up with the first ranking of the "Top Ten College Cheerleading Squads" and "Cheerleader All America" awards given out by the International Cheerleading Foundation (now the World Cheerleading Association or WCA) in 1967. In 1978, America was introduced to competitive cheerleading by the first broadcast of Collegiate Cheerleading Championships on CBS. In the 1960s National Football League (NFL) teams began to organize professional cheerleading teams. It was the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders who gained the spotlight with their revealing outfits and sophisticated dance moves, which debuted in the 1972-1973 season, but were first seen widely in Super Bowl X (1976). This caused the image of cheerleaders to permanently change, with many other NFL teams emulating them. The 1980s saw the onset of modern cheerleading with more difficult stunts and gymnastics being incorporated into routines. Cheerleading organizations started applying safety guidelines and offering courses on safety training for coaches and sponsors. In 1984, Cheer Ltd. Inc. (sic) established the National Cheer Conference (NCC) for cheer coaches to receive instruction and hands-on course work in cheerleading techniques. AACCA is the nationally recognized safety organization, conducting safety courses since 1987. A more recent organization to conduct safety courses is the NCSSE. The spirit industry leaders were united with the unprecedented 2004 establishment of SITA, the Spirit Industry Trade Association. Founded by leaders of nine major cheerleading companies including American Championships, America's Best, AmeriCheer, Athletic Championships, Atlantic Cheer & Dance, Cheer Ltd. Inc, COA, ECA, and UPA, the industry trade association includes both cheerleading companies, affiliate companies, and safety organizations. Another trade organization, OSIP, the Organization of Spirit Industry Providers, consists of over 33 member organizations including Universal Cheerleaders Association, National Spirit Association, USASF, Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders, Ross Athletic, CheerSPORT, and others. Today, cheerleading has grown to an estimated 4 million participants in the United States alone.
More on [ Cheerleading ]
Going to school soon, cheerleading practice & then back hurrr. cells good.
kasssssx (Kassie Kennison) Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:33:07 -0000
Going to school soon, cheerleading practice & then back hurrr. cells good.
Cheerleading, workin 10-3,4-10..*sigh* completely exhausted. i hope i make it through the day and the next couple days!
mccauleye (Erin McCauley) Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:31:20 -0000
Cheerleading, workin 10-3,4-10..*sigh* completely exhausted. i hope i make it through the day and the next couple days!
ud think private school would have off today but NO! they are all scrooges! K sis has cheerleading so ill be back late tonite
HiCcuB (Heather McCoy) Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:29:37 -0000
ud think private school would have off today but NO! they are all scrooges! K sis has cheerleading so ill be back late tonite
Schoool then cheerleading practicee. Story of my life.
CuteeCandyyx3 (candice sabdull) Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:25:22 -0000
Schoool then cheerleading practicee. Story of my life.
Getting ready, then art choir and earth science exams. Cheerleading practice and gymnastics practice. Gone from 8-8. Looong day!
taygymnast4 (Taylor Dunbar) Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:20:19 -0000
Getting ready, then art choir and earth science exams. Cheerleading practice and gymnastics practice. Gone from 8-8. Looong day!
@laudenbonk yay!!! you got driver's license now!!?? :O woot woot *jumps around in a cheerleading outfit* n_n
BouncingCupcake (Stephanie ) Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:19:31 -0000
@laudenbonk yay!!! you got driver's license now!!?? :O woot woot *jumps around in a cheerleading outfit* n_n
All That Cheers - Offers tips for beginning cheerleaders. Includes chants, cheers, tumbling, tryout tips, stretches, exercises, stunts, motions, and jumps.
American Cheerleader Junior - Tips, techniques, message board and more aimed toward the middle and junior high school levels.
Meta Description: [ The perfect introduction to cheerleading for girls 7 to 12. Learn what it takes to cheer ¬ the jumps, the motions and the chants. ]
American Cheerleader Magazine - Provides step-by-step tips for stunts and cheers. Includes resource center, message boards, and newsletters.
Meta Description: [ Magazine for cheerleaders written by cheerleading experts. Each issue contains stunts, routines, and competition tips as well as stories about training and fitness, news on events and competitions, and other information for young adults aspiring to and involved in cheerleading. ]
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Cheer Spirit - Contains a brief explanation of different jumps, tips, hints, cheers, chants, and an example Cheerleader's Constitution.
Meta Description: [ Cheer Spirit Need hints and tips for Cheerleading? ]
Cheerleading - Large collection of cheerleading tips and hints.
Meta Description: [ About's Cheerleading site, a comprehensive listing of resources for Cheerleaders, coaches, or admirers of the sport of Cheerleading. Cheers, chants, jumps, stunts and more about Cheerleading. ]
Emerald All Star Cheerleading - Offers cheerleading and tumbling classes, competition teams and exhibition squads for kids ages 3-18 in the Eugene and Springfield, Oregon area.
Meta Description: [ Eugene's Premier All Star Cheerleading program, offering cheer and tumbling classes, exhibition squads and competition teams for grades preschool - 12th grade. ]
Geistown-Richland Cheerleaders - Recreational competitive cheerleading squad in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Squad photos, schedule, and member biographies included.
Meta Description: [ This Web site was created at www.homestead.com. You can easily build a customized Web site for yourself or your business using our simple Web page building tools. ]
InfoSports - Youth Cheerleading on the Web - Message boards, links, cheers and chants.
Meta Description: [ Youth Sports on the Web. InfoSports is a nice youth sports resource. On this youth sports site you will find sports tournments, Message Boards, links, Youth Sports Pages, scores and Kids page. ]
Just Cheer - Features cheers, chants, tips for jumps and tryouts, clipart and polls.
Just Cheer - Exchange advice, tips, cheers, chat and play games.
Ms. Pineapple's Cheer Page - Offers cheers and chants, stunts, tumbles, and motions for all sports. Includes message board, photo album, tips for mascots, and fundraisers.
Meta Description: [ Your one stop site for all your cheerleading needs. From stunts, cheers, pep rallies, and mascots to greeting cards, fund raisers, jumps, try-outs, quotes, and more! ]
Nancy Redd Cheerleading - Provides tips for trying out, a collection of chants and cheers, a guide to perfecting jumps, history of the sport, and contacts.
Port St. John Rockets - Brevard County, Florida Parks and Recreation-sponsored league. Includes registration, football, cheerleading, maps, forms, and calendar.
Redneck Gurlz! - Join this online cheer squad. Includes cheers, guestbook, chat, and member form.
So You Wanna be a Cheerleader? - A brief history of cheering, along with basic tips on getting in shape, succeeding at tryouts, and recognizing different types of cheerleading.
Suite 101: Cheerleading - Articles covering a variety of cheerleading topics.
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